Connecting with Caitlin Morris

How have relationships influenced your professional development and leadership style?

I have always wanted to deliver my best for people who I admire and who I feel are invested in me. Luckily, over the course of my career, I have had the privilege of working for amazing, unique individuals. Each of them has taught me directly through generous coaching, but also just from sharing their stories and observing how they lead in the world. I aspire for my leadership style to be a kaleidoscope of the most impressive elements from so many people: from being genuinely curious about everyone to a focus on constantly sharpening and evolving strategy with the team. 

Do you have any tips for maintaining and building strong relationships?

I think relationships should follow the same principles as friendships. Not everyone you have an authentic relationship with is your friend, but there needs to be a genuine interest in learning about the other person and how you can be helpful to them. Really listening to other people and making them feel seen goes a long way.  

How have you intentionally built inclusiveness into your circles? 

Professionally, inclusivity and representation are at the heart of my work in Social and Community Impact. I have the great fortune of working in partnership with people from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. My work life has always expanded the aperture of my world view, starting with my first job as an English teacher in the early years of “post-Communist” Hungary.  That experience challenged my expectations of what the region needed, and also taught me what it was like to lose power in communications — operating in a language other than my mother tongue. Being alive to the importance of really listening and seeing people as they are enables me to understand not only our differences but our shared connections. Everyone has a story to tell — and I find them all way more interesting than my own! 

What community or communities are you proud to be a part of?

I have been working in the Purpose space at NIKE for almost twenty years, and when people ask me why my tenure there has been so long, my answer is always the same: the people! It is an honor to work alongside such innovative, passionate and committed colleagues.

Who’s a Connector that's made a difference in your life?

Dusty Kidd — One of my early bosses at NIKE.  Prior to joining NIKE, Dusty was a journalist, and that desire to know your story and share learning lessons through other tales, was hugely impactful for me as I started my career here. He was my personal historian to earlier days at the company before our founder Phil Knight wrote Shoe Dog, his origin story of NIKE and a terrific read!  

Susan McPherson is a serial connector, seasoned communicator and founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, a communications consultancy focused on the intersection of brands and social impact. She is the author of The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Relationships.

Follow Susan on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram and order her new book, The Lost Art of Connecting, also available on Kindle and Audiobook.